A problem that sometimes arises in data transmission, in particular in motor traffic, is that the conventional standard mobile communications network (GSM) is overloaded and/or is not working properly. In addition, other conventional information channels can also be subject to problems. For example, radio reception may be intermittent or traffic data is not transmitted with the degree of accuracy or “fine detail” that is necessary for communicating information correctly and, if necessary, for issuing warning signals promptly.
Furthermore, latency periods or time delays in receiving and routing the traffic-related data may also make it more difficult to transfer data correctly and promptly.
A device and a method used to provide advance road information to the driver of a vehicle may encode the information. The vehicle concerned may be equipped with at least one sensor for capturing or reading the information and with a device coupled to the sensor for processing the relevant information and for providing this information to the driver such as disclosed inter alia in U.S. Pat. No. 8,427,341 B2, for example.
A reader that can be mounted in the region of the rear-view mirror of a vehicle for the purpose of reading encoded information displayed on a road information sign, which information may contain, for example, an icy road-surface warning based on a temperature measurement is disclosed inter alia in JPH06197246, for example.